Defence practice in the youth court is quite distinct from work in adult courts, with the law often very different and with particular issues arising from working with young people. Solicitors and barristers working in the youth courts need a distinct set of skills and knowledge to equip them for this work. While law training in youth justice practice already exists in many areas, there is little training in good practice in youth courts.
As a result, the Law Society has commissioned key trainers in the field to work with them to develop good practice training events to be rolled out across each region and Wales. As well as the specific law relating to youth justice, the training also focuses on:
- communicating with young people
- how young people develop
- mental health issues that may arise
- role and work of YOTs and the YJB
- what young people say they want and need from the defence
- key issues relating to sentencing and bail.
Click to go to the Law Society’s website [opens in new window] to find out more about training for solicitors.